Sleep
by beaucoup riant
Summary: Mamoru is used to Usagi in sleep, peaceful or sprawled out. What he isn't used to, are when her memories turn into nightmares. Especially when her nightmares are of him.


Author's notes: I don't own Sailor Moon but it was my childhood obsession, so this story is mines! Inspired by My-Crazy-Awesome-Sox's Nightmares of a Tortured Soul. Enjoy and review!

**Sleep**

Mamoru is used to the weight of his wife's head at his shoulder or chest, listening to his heartbeat, a thin arm wrapped around his torso, and both her legs intertwined with his. He is used to being trapped in bed with his wife because when she is curled against him, he feels safe and loved. And when morning comes, he'll find ways to untangle himself gently from her, even if she wakes up for a brief moment to offer him a sleepy smile and a gentle good morning before slipping back to her dreams.

What he isn't used to is Usagi's violent shivering and whimpers when a nightmare grips their claws into his wife's small frame.

"Usako! Usako!" Mamoru shouts, gripping her shoulders gently with a shake.

"No!" And in a second, Usagi is out of his arms. She lands in a heap on the floor with the blankets tangled around him.

"Usako!" He exclaims, surprised. Their eyes meet, azure and cerulean blue. He thinks that when she sees him, she should know it's a nightmare. He's expecting her to blush and laugh and say something about how silly she was for having a nightmare and falling out of bed because of it.

Instead, she looks at him as if she doesn't know who she's looking at. That look sends sharp pangs of pain in his heart. "Usako?" He whispers.

"No, no, no!" And she's shaking so violently, her head going back and forth with denial, and her fingers become tangled in her hair.

Mamoru jumps out of bed, shocked and confused, and rushes to her. The instant his fingers grasp her gently, she flings herself into his arms.

"Mamo-chan!" She wails and tears splash against his cold skin, burning it and stinging his heart. "Don't hurt me, Mamo-chan."

He pulls away in shock to her words and she holds onto him tightly, her nails digging into his biceps. Mamoru is too shocked to even acknowledge the pain the nerves shoot at his brain.

"Don't leave me, Mamo-chan! Please!"

His hands cups her tear stained face. "Usako….I'm here." He forces her eyes to look at him. He kisses her eyelids, wet with tears, before dipping down to her soft lips. "I love you." He whispers. She kisses him back and then sobs. Shaking and rocking, he murmurs comforting words to her. When she quiets, he knows the nightmare has been receded in her mind.

Later, when both husband and wife is in bed and curled against each other again, but still awake, Mamoru asks what lies heavily in his mind. "What did you dream about?"

Usagi curls in a small ball and buries herself closer to his side. In response, he tightens his grip on her. Her fingers trace a pectoral muscle and he knows she's stalling.

"Usako?" Mamoru prompts.

"I dreamt of a battle with Galaxia…and it was the first time I've seen you in so long, but you were wearing your armor."

That one sentence brings pain. Although they both know that he was under Galaxia's spell and that he had no control or real awareness, really, of what he was doing, she still hurts. He knows her pain is real, even if he can't grasp it. Usagi never blames him, even if he feels like she should. But what good does that do? He was under another's control, and even if he begged for forgiveness, it wouldn't change what he did. The pain he physically inflicted, the hopelessness he gave her, the pain of breaking her heart…they were all real and he was the face that caused it, even if his heart and mind weren't there.

Mamoru doesn't say anything. What is there to say? They would feel like empty words to him and to her. So all he can do is hold her tighter, kiss her forehead, and murmur that he'll be here to give her sweet dreams. For Usagi, it is enough. They both know how it ended, how she saved them all. And she knows the truth, how he would and have died for her, how he loves her so.

And when they make love later that night, the residues of her nightmare becomes lost in the haze of his hands, his revered whispers, his sensual lips, and the rocking of his strong hips. And when she sleeps, she drifts in a peaceful land where she looks for Mamoru's smile and his azure eyes.

Mamoru is used to her peaceful sleeping and how she can wake up sprawled across him. He knows his wife has plenty of material to make nightmares. However, he can only hope he'll never become used to her fear and pain from nightmares. He hopes his presence will be enough to keep the demons of her past away from her mind.

After all, Mamoru muses, Sailor Moon fought all those battles and defended the universe itself, the least it could do was let her sleep.


End file.
